Shrimp Fra Diavolo

My husband and I don't eat very much seafood, neither of us cares for fish besides sushi and he has some shellfish allergies. Shrimp is one form of fish we can both enjoy. A couple times a year we head to Vincent's Clam Bar in Queens, NY to enjoy their very, very spicy version of Shrimp Fra Diavolo. This Valentines Day I decided to make this dish myself using fresh shrimp from our local seafood store.

This recipe was very easy and I wanted to serve it over linguine so I added additional crushed tomatoes to the sauce. Feel free to adjust the spice to your own tastes.

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4

1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp olive oil +
1 medium onion sliced thin
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves chopped fine
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 pound whole wheat linguine

Cook linguine per package directions. In a bowl, toss shrimp with salt and the red pepper flakes. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 or 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.

Add the onion to the same skillet with 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil if needed, and saute until translucent. Add the diced and crushed tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic and Italian seasoning. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly about 10 minutes.

Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture, toss to coat and cook for about 1 minute. Add the cooked linguine and toss the the entire mixture to distribute evenly. Plate and serve.

Risotto with Butternut Squash

Two words come to my mind when I think of risotto; delicious and stirring! I love risotto no matter what is in it. As a matter of fact the single best meal I ever ate in a restaurant was a wild mushroom risotto with truffles. I like my risotto a little cream but not soupy. To be honest though this is only the second time I made risotto myself, I dread the stirring! I have many recipes that take longer to prep and cook but the thought of 20-30 minutes just standing there and stirring discourages me. This month I picked up Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine and this recipe was the first thing I turned to. I decided to go for it. Half an hour of stirring later we had an incredibly satisfying meal. I still won't be making risotto on a weekly basis but will try some new recipes for it in the future.

Adapted from Everyday With Rachel Ray magazine March 2010

Serves 4

2.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
4 Tbsp butter
1.5 cups grated butternut squash
1 onion, finely chopped
1.5 cups arborio rice
1/2 dry white wine
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground pepper

In a sauce pan bring chicken broth and 2.5 cups of water to a boil; cover and simmer.

In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the grated squash and cook, stirring frequently, until soft about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons butter and the onion to the saucepan and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the onion is softened about 8 minutes. Add the rice and stir until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until evaporated.

Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth mixture, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring and adjusting the the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Keep repeating, adding 1/2 cup of the broth at a time and allowing the liquid to be absorbed, until the rice is tender about 20-30 minutes.

Add the cooked squash and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and season with pepper. Sprinkle each individual dish with extra Parmesan before serving.